This week, we check the vitals of Matt Heyman, who participated in the first round of Last Comic Standing at the Black Swamp Pub. He made it through the first round and performed in the second round last night.

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Age: 21

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Class: Freshman

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Major: Film

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What is it that you like about film? I like the ability to create and tell a story, not just on the page, but through visuals as well. You really get to create your own world.

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Tell me about Last Comic Standing. It’s something that I kind of fell in to. There was an open mic at the pub and I signed up for it 15 minutes before it started, and I did pretty well on that. Some friends then told me about Last Comic Standing, and I signed up for that.

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How did the first round go? I thought the first round went all right. I was really nervous, I think mostly because there were tons of people there. It was kind of a tough audience, but I think I did well, and I’m confident that I’ll do better next time.

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How would you describe your comedic style? I’m very conversational. I look at stand-up as an opportunity to talk to my friends without them being able to talk back. I’ll set up a situation, and then I’ll just throw out a ridiculous or off-color remark for the punch line. I think a lot of comedy lies in timing and knowing when to just tread the line, and then step over.

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Who is your favorite filmmaker and why? If I’m looking for a comedy, Mel Books and Kevin Smith films are usually a great way to go. I also enjoy Quentin Tarantino, Darren Aronofsky and Danny Boyle.

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What is your favorite movie of all time? Can you pick just one? What day is it? Well, I’d have to say that the most inspiring film would have to be Robert Rodriguez’s “El Mariachi,” because of the ingenuity he had to use to make it for only $7,000. It makes doing a film without a lot of money seem possible.

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What are your plans for after college? I would like to pursue a career in film. I think that’s where my heart lies. Doing comedy would also be a great route to go because I love telling jokes and making people laugh. All in all, I really just want to create the worlds and characters that run through my head on a daily basis.

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Who is your favorite comedian? I’m a big fan of George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Dane Cook and Jim Gaffigan. Mitch Hedberg, God rest his soul, was the changing face of comedy. If I had to pick one, I would choose George Carlin based on his ability to say whatever he wants. He tells the jokes more for himself, than he does for anyone else.

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What job in the film industry would you like to have? Don’t we all want to direct? It’s all about your own vision.

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What are you looking forward to in the upcoming rounds of Last Comic Standing? I’m going to try to eliminate dead spots in the act. I want to get them laughing and keep them laughing. I’m also looking forward to trying out new material.

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What is the key to good stand-up comedy? The key to good stand-up is almost making the audience laugh at you, instead of with you. You want the audience to feel that you’re the vulnerable one in the situation.

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What movies that are coming out soon are you looking forward to? There’s a great film that recently came out called “The Descent.” It looks like a really good French horror flick. I’m also looking forward to Aronofsky’s “The Fountain,” and Kevin Smith’s “The Passion of the Clerks.”

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What is your drink of choice? Rum and Coke, together or separate.

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What type of music do you listen to? Some of my favorite bands are Pink Floyd, Ben Folds Five and Dillinger Escape Plan.

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What are some of your favorite books? “Napalm and Silly Putty,” by George Carlin, “Dirty Jokes and Beer,” by Drew Carey and “Turn of the Screw,” by Henry James. I also enjoy “The Zombie Survival Guide.”

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What are some of your favorite TV shows? “Boy Meets World” is the best show ever made. It’s always funny and it has some really good dramatic moments. It never lost its charm.

What is your favorite zombie movie? The best zombie movie to watch is “Children of the Living Dead,” because of its atrociousness. Genre fans love it because it does everything that you’re not supposed to do in a zombie movie. I think the best-made zombie movie is Danny Boyle’s “28 Days Later.”